Lady GaGa

The South African Council of Churches wants to ban Lady Gaga from performing in South Africa.

The church group claims to be concerned about the supposedly  destructive impact Lady Gaga could have on South Africa's youth when she performs here later this year.

According to Channel24, Reverend Mxolisi Sonti said they are afraid that Gaga's visit could lead to an exponential growth of Satanism in South Africa.

According to Channel24, the group are planning a march to the department of Arts and Culture in Pretoria, where they will be handing over a written request to stop Gaga's visit to the country.

Lady Gaga kicks off her shows in South Africa with a performance at the FNB Stadium, Johannesburg on 30 November, before she moves to the Cape Town Stadium on 3 December.

Russian activists have claimed that they were offended by Madonna's support for gay rights during a recent concert in St. Petersburg, where there is a legal ban on promoting homosexuality to young people.

Madonna performs during her concert in St. Petersburg on the day Russian activists say she promoted gay rights in front of children as young as 12 The star performing at the concert in St. Petersburg earlier this month. The complaint against her is said to include a video taken at the concert showing Madonna stomping on an Orthodox cross

It was reported that Alexander Pochuyev, a lawyer representing the nine activists, had filed the suit on Friday, against Madonna, the organizer of her concert, and the hall where it was held, asking for damages totaling 333 million rubles, or nearly $10.5 million.

Catholic groups in Poland are protesting against Madonna's Warsaw show because it falls on the same day as the anniversary of the Warsaw Uprising.

Every year, Poles commemorate the date the city's failed revolt against Nazi occupation began. At 5pm on August 1, sirens wail across Warsaw and people stand still to pay their respects to the 200,000 victims of the 63-day uprising.

Concert organisers have agreed to a proposal by city officials by showing a short film about the events of 1944 to appease the protestors. [Madonna can probably squeeze her set into the advert breaks!]

However, catholic groups have started an online campaign urging people not to watch the concert -- claiming more than 50,000 have signed up to their Don't Go To See Madonna campaign.

One group, Krucjata Mlodych (Youth Crusade) says anti-Madonna Mass services and prayer sessions have been held. They accuse the singer of offending their faith by burning crucifixes and using crown of thorns imagery, adding that she promotes pornography.

Lady Gaga has come under nutter fire for her new song about Princess Diana's death.

She premiered the new track, Princess Die , in Melbourne, Australia and 'outraged' royal fans with her lyrics, which appears to reference the Princess of Wales' tragic death in a Paris car accident in 1997. Gaga sings:

And wish that I would go
In my rich boyfriend's limo
Right after he proposed
With a 16-carat stone wrapped in rose gold
With the papparazzi all swarming around
So bob head your head for another dead blonde.

The lyrics have been blasted as distasteful when she says in the song:

I wish that I could cope but I took pills and left a note.

Suicide charities in Australia have slammed the singer's words and are worried about the message she is sending to impressionable fans. Chris Wagner, communications director for Lifeline, said:

We understand artistic license and we get artistic expression, but celebrities need to recognise that they're role models for young people in the community.

GaGa said during her performance that Princess Die may or may not be included on her next album.

  First she made a joke about buying a fake Rolex. Now Thailand's culture ministry has filed a complaint to police against Lady Gaga for misuse of the Thai flag during her show last month.

The ministry claimed the part of Lady Gaga's performance when she wore a traditional headdress and sat on a motorcycle in a skimpy outfit with a Thai flag trailing behind was inappropriate and hurt Thai people's sentiment .

We are not asking police to prosecute her but it's our normal procedure to file complaints to concerned agencies when we receive them, a senior ministry official, who declined to be named, said.

The extremist Islam Defender Font (FPI) says it will take to the streets if US singer Lady Gaga does not cancel her upcoming Jakarta concert on June 3.

FPI chairman Habib Rizieq said:

FPI is strongly rejecting Lady Gaga's concert because we know very well how she is during the performing in concerts everywhere.

He promised that he would join FPI members in taking to the streets if the concert went ahead.  He said:

If you want chaos in Jakarta, just continue to hold the concert,

Rizieq said that he would directly convey the group's opposition to the President

Update: Police Consider Ban

14th May 2012.  From thejakartaglobe.com

Lady Gaga's sold-out Jakarta concert is scheduled for June 3, but police have yet to decide whether Indonesia's 40,000 ticket-holders will be able to see Lady Gaga perform. The planned concert has attracted the ire of extremist Islamists of the Islamic Defenders Front (FPI), who ludicrously called Lady Gaga to the devil during rallies and warned that her concert will degrade the nation's sense of morality.

The Jakarta Police recommended that the concert be canceled. But, in the end, the decision is not theirs and permits are issued by the National Police who are still undecided whether to allow the perfomance.

We ask the National Police to take into consideration the public's opposition to Lady Gaga's concert, said M. Mahendradatta, board chairman for the Muslim Defenders Team, an organization known for representing hard-line Islamists and alleged terrorists. Mahendradatta claimed that the pop diva promotes devil worship and that her concert will corrupt the moral sensibilities of young Indonesians. He spewed:

Whether you like it or not, Lady Gaga teaches [fans] to worship the devil. That goes against the teachings of any religion. We don't approve of that.

FPI's leader Rizieq Syihab furthered the devil worshiping claims, adding that the singer was planning to build Lucifer's kingdom in Indonesia.

Update: Threats pay off

16th May 2012. See  article from  bbc.co.uk

Indonesian police have banned a concert by US pop star Lady Gaga in the capital next month. This follows follows the Islamic Defenders Front (FPI) threats to intercept Lady Gaga at the airport and stop her getting off the plane.

Saut Nasution, a spokesman for the Indonesian police, told the BBC's Indonesian service:

It is better that we don't give permission rather than that [the concert] ends up being stopped by the people. We have already received a letter requesting us to consider the people's plea [for cancellation].  And the Jakarta Police also refused to recommend a permit for the concert because we don't want people to clash [on the matter].

Habib Salim Alatas, the Jakarta head of the FPI said: She's a vulgar singer who wears only panties and a bra when she sings. He also described her as dangerous for Indonesia's younger generation, and claimed that Lady Gaga had referred to herself as the devil's messenger.

Update: Police Back Off from Ban

22nd May 2012. From thejakartaglobe.com

The National Police has revised its stance on the Lady Gaga concert, saying it might issue the permit the show needs to go on.

National Police spokesman Insp. Gen. Saud Usman Nasution said that if the promoter could get recommendations from the concert venue and the Tourism and Creative Economy Ministry, as well as prove it was a legal entity, the National Police would issue the permit.

As long as it meets those three requirements, [the concert] will be staged, Saud said.

The Jakarta Police said that while it still wasn't giving its recommendation, if the National Police decided the issue the permit, it would comply with that decision and secure the concert.

Update: Police say OK as long as religious extremists agree

23rd May 2012. See  article from  asiaone.com

The National Police now says it will issue a concert permit for American pop diva Lady Gaga - but only if the promoters achieve the monumental task of getting recommendations from the Religious Affairs Ministry and the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI).

Both organizations have shown strong opposition to the singer's concert in Indonesia.

Police also demanded that concert promoter Big Daddy Entertainment have recommendations from the Tourism Ministry, the Home Affairs Ministry, the Director General of Immigration over Lady Gaga's visa and the Manpower and Transmigration Ministry.

A permit from the management of Bung Karno Stadium, where the planned June 3 concert will be held, is also required.

Update: Indonesia concert called off

28th May 2012. From  bangkokpost.com

Lady Gaga has cancelled her Indonesian concert, with promoters saying the security threat was too serious after Islamic extremists promised chaos.

The promoters had indicated that a deal was being hammered out to tone down the June 3 concert in Jakarta, but the US star's management had stood firm, vowing there would be no compromise to appease religious nutters.

Minola Sebayang, lawyer for promoters Big Daddy, told reporters:

Lady Gaga's management has considered the situation minute to minute, and with threats if the concert goes ahead, Lady Gaga's side is calling off the concert.

This is not only about Lady Gaga's security, but extends to those who will be watching her.

Lady gaga tweeted before the announcement was made: There is nothing Holy about hatred.

FPI Jakarta chairman Habib Salim Alatas said the cancellation was good news for Muslims in Indonesia.

Religious groups have urged that the Manila concert of American pop singer Lady Gaga be banned to prevent her from supposedly influencing young Filipinos.

Catholic leaders called on followers of the Church to boycott Lady Gaga's concert, which, they claim, would promote godlessness.

Her attitude seems to promote godlessness, offensive to any religion, Sorsogon Bishop Arturo Bastes, a member of the Permanent Council of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines, told reporters. Bastes claimed some of Lady Gaga's songs were blasphemous:

People have the duty to discern the quality of entertainment. Christians must exercise self-censorship to avoid shows that are harmful to their faith.

Manila Auxiliary Bishop Broderick Pabillo called on the government to follow the leads of South Korea and Indonesia and ban Lady Gaga's concert. (Even if South Korea didn't ban her concert)

Henrietta de Villa, chair of Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV) spouted:

We are a Catholic country but look at the way she insults our faith and the way she tramples on our Lord. We should stand up [for our faith]. We should not allow her to have a concert here.

Nutter leaders cited Lady Gaga's songs Born This Way , which they said encouraged homosexuality, and Judas , which they claimed to be making a mockery of their religious beliefs and moral fiber. The Christian groups also criticized Lady Gaga's skimpy outfits and outrageous costumes.

Other groups opposing Lady Gaga's concerts were The Intercessors for the Philippines, the Philippines for Jesus Movement, the Philippine Council of Evangelical Churches, Bible Mode Baptist Group, NFS Ministry, Metro Manila for Jesus Movement and Tribes and Nations Outreach.

Antonino Calixto, mayor of Manila's Pasay district said inspectors will be on hand at the venue to ensure she does not overstep the mark. He said:

We reminded the producers of Lady Gaga's concert that the show and the event as a whole shall not exhibit any nudity or lewd conduct which may be offensive to morals and good customs.

Although we respect artistic and musical expressions, I won't allow anyone or any group to provide acts which may be questionable in (any) way.

Update: 200 Protestors

21st May 2012. See  article from  entertainment.inquirer.net

Some 200 Christian youths marched in Manila Saturday morning for the second straight day, chanting Stop the Lady Gaga concerts. They held placards urging the pop diva to respect our faith, stop the blasphemy and Stop Lady Gaga, the mother monster. Another placard praised: Lady GaGa, the icon of perverted values.

The Biblemode Youth Philippines members also plan to hold a vigil starting Sunday near the seaside concert venue. They say they are offended by Lady Gaga's music, particularly her song Judas, which they say mocks the religious character, Jesus Christ.

A group of Christian nutters from South Korea are planning to hold a prayer meeting in protest of Lady Gaga's show in Seoul on 27th April.

AFP reports that 300 members of Alliance for Sound Culture In Sexuality are planning to attend the meeting.

Kang Ju-Hyun, a prayer organiser, told AFP: We will pray to God that the concert will not be realised so that homosexuality and pornography will not spread around the country. The group have accused Lady Gaga of spreading unhealthy sexual culture through lewd lyrics and performances .

Under 18s have been banned from the concert, after the Korea Media Rating Board deemed the show unsuitable for young audiences.

Update: A small group of Christians

29th April 2012. See article from bbc.co.uk , Thanks to Nick

A small group of Christians staged a rally outside Seoul's Olympic Stadium, where around 45,000 fans saw the singer perform hits like Poker Face and Judas .

The poster for Lady Gaga's Seoul concert said it had adult certification Activists in Seoul have been protesting over the concert for weeks, claiming the singer was obscene and could taint young people.

A group calling itself the Civilians Network against the Lady Gaga Concert said her performance was too homosexual and pornographic .

A high-ranking member of Indonesia's highest Islamic authority has urged Muslims not to attend Lady Gaga's upcoming concert in Jakarta, declaring that the pop star was forbidden under Islamic law.

[The concert is] intended to destroy the nation's morality, said Indonesian Council of Ulema (MUI) chairman Cholil Ridwan, who added that he had never watched the singer perform and only heard of her reputation second-hand.

He urged Lady Gaga fans to return their tickets for the June 3 concert at Gelora Bung Karno and ask for a refund.

Cholil took exception with Lady Gaga's revealing outfits and sexualized dance moves, claiming that a female dangdut singer who wore similar costumes would also be haram.

But he claimed Lady Gaga was worse. She is from the West, and she often shows her aurat [private parts of the body] when performing, Cholil said.

But another MUI chairman, Slamet Effendi Yusuf, said Cholil's words were only his personal opinion. The organization has not issued a haram fatwa, a move that would require all MUI chairmen to reach a consensus.

Lady Gaga's latest album Born This Way may be topping the music charts in 21 countries, but it has been banned in Lebanon for being offensive to Christianity .

A shipment of the album was immediately impounded by authorities in the general security department on grounds of taste, reports thesun.co.uk

Update: Oh no it isn't!

8th June 2011.  See  article from  dailystar.com.lb

Lady Gaga's latest record Born This Way will be distributed to stores in Lebanon soon, General Security said following rumors that the album had been banned for being offensive to Christianity.

General Security had not released any statement banning the entry or distribution of this album, and [the CD] has received approval for entry and distribution in the Lebanese market, a statement by the General Security said.

 

  Lady Gaga's new single, Judas , is being slammed by religious groups even though they haven't seen it yet.

It is believed that the singer will depict Mary Magdalene in the video accompanying the song, while Hawaii Five-0 actor, Norman Reedus, plays Judas.

The Catholic League For Religious And Civil Rights have claimed that Gaga is stomping over the Easter celebrations.

President of the CLFRCR Bill Donahue said:

People have real talent then there is Lady Gaga. I find her to be increasingly irrelevant.

Is this the only way to jet up her performance? This isn't random, we are getting closer to holy week and Easter.

The video is due out on 19th of April.